Brunswick Corporation

Gill Industries, Inc.

Knape & Vogt Manufacturing Company

Michael J Boks

John Witte

Eric Sean Deuel

Robert J Sutter

Brian C Leja

Kevin T Downey

Robert R Sutter, Jr

Perin E Truax

Craig A Ulman

Nathan D Koetsier

Christopher C Bostwick

Katherine D Winer

Ioan Iuga

Benjamin David Curtis

Haley A Raatz

An electric linear actuator includes a housing extending along a longitudinal axis, the housing configured to be coupled to a first component. A spindle is provided in the housing and extends along the longitudinal axis from a proximal end to a distal end. A motor is coupled to the proximal end of the spindle and is configured to rotate the spindle. A spindle nut is received on the spindle and is movable with respect to the housing along the longitudinal axis in response to rotation of the spindle. The spindle nut is configured to be coupled to a second component. A one-way bearing prevents back-drive of the motor when an external load is applied to the second component while the motor is not provided with electrical power.

Electric linear actuator with anti-backdrive mechanism

A system for a marine vessel includes a peripheral device having an actuator configured to move part of the peripheral device between a retracted position and an extended position. A first serial bus is configured to connect the peripheral device to other peripheral devices. A controller is operatively connected to the actuator and is in signal communication with the first serial bus. A sensor is coupled to the controller via a second serial bus. The controller is configured to activate the actuator to move the part of the peripheral device from the extended position to the retracted position and from the retracted position to the extended position in response to information from the sensor.

System and peripheral devices for a marine vessel

A seat assembly for a marine vessel includes a base to be connected to a deck of the marine vessel, a seat supported by the base, and an actuator. The actuator adjusts a position of the seat with respect to the base in at least one of the following ways: to translate the seat in a front-back direction with respect to the base, to raise and lower the seat with respect to the base, to tilt the seat at various angles with respect to the base, and to rotate the seat with respect to the base. The seat assembly also includes a controller in signal communication with the actuator, and the controller activates the actuator to adjust the position of the seat with respect to the base to a predetermined position.

Seating system and seat assembly for marine vessel

A mount for a trolling motor pivots the trolling motor between a deployed position and a stowed position. The mount includes a base coupled to a deck of a watercraft and upper and lower arms pivotably coupled to the base. A bracket also couples the upper arm to the lower arm. The mount includes a pivotable latch and an associated latch blocker on the upper or lower arm or the base and a corresponding striker pin configured to engage with the pivotable latch in the deployed and/or stowed position of the trolling motor to lock the upper or lower arm to the base.

Trolling motor and mount for trolling motor

A seating system for installation on a marine vessel includes a base to be connected to a deck of the marine vessel and a pedestal to be removably installed in an upright position on or in the base. The base includes a built-in first electrical connector to be electrically connected to a power source on the marine vessel. The pedestal includes a second electrical connector designed to mate with the first electrical connector in the base. A base for the seating system and a pedestal for the seating system are also disclosed.

Plug-in seating system for marine vessel

A seat support assembly has a lower member with a first channel extending in a front-back direction of the seat support assembly and an upper member positioned above the lower member and having a second channel extending in the front-back direction. A first linkage has a lower end pivotably coupled to the lower member and translatable in the front-back direction by way of the first channel and an upper end pivotably coupled to the upper member. A second linkage has a lower end pivotably coupled to the lower member and an upper end pivotably coupled to the upper member and translatable in the front-back direction by way of the second channel. The first and second channels are offset from one another in the front-back direction.

Seat support assembly

A mount for a trolling motor pivots the trolling motor between a deployed position and a stowed position. The mount includes a base coupled to a deck of a watercraft and upper and lower arms pivotably coupled to the base. A bracket also couples the upper arm to the lower arm. The mount includes one of the following: (1) a deployed-position latch coupled to the upper arm or the base and a corresponding deployed-position striker pin configured to engage with the deployed-position latch in the deployed position of the trolling motor to lock the upper arm to the base; or (2) a pivotable latch and an associated latch blocker on the upper or lower arm or the base and a corresponding striker pin configured to engage with the pivotable latch in the deployed and/or stowed position of the trolling motor to lock the upper or lower arm to the base.

A trolling motor includes a head unit, a propulsion unit, and a shaft coupling the head unit to the propulsion unit. A shaft support couples the shaft to a mount base, which may be coupled to watercraft's deck. The shaft support is pivotable with respect to the mount base to move the trolling motor between a deployed position and a stowed position with respect to the deck. The trolling motor further includes a spring and damper combination coupled between the mount base and the shaft support, wherein a spring portion of the spring and damper combination provides a spring force to assist in pivoting the shaft support away from the deck, and a damper portion of the spring and damper combination provides a damping force to slow pivoting of the shaft support towards the deck and/or a metal-reinforced, self-lubricating bearing pivotably coupling the shaft support to the mount base.

Trolling motor propeller

A trolling motor assembly includes a main housing holding an electric motor. A propeller is attached to a propeller shaft that is driven by the electric motor and projects from a rear end of the main housing. A steering shaft is configured to couple the main housing to a watercraft. A nosecone is coupled to the main housing at the front end of the main housing. The nosecone is removable from the front end of the main housing. The main housing is watertight when the nosecone is removed therefrom.

Trolling motor assembly with replaceable nosecone

A head restraint assembly for a seat, the assembly including: At least one support for mounting a bun assembly above the seat back; a bun assembly including a core portion, the core portion having integral first bearing surfaces; a stationary hub mounted on the at least one support, the stationary hub disposed at least substantially within the core portion and pivotally supporting the core portion via the integral first bearing surfaces; and a lock pivotally supported within the core portion. The lock is selectively pivotally moveable between positions of engagement with, and disengagement from, the stationary hub. The position of engagement is characterized in that the core portion is fixed relative to the stationary hub and at least one support, and the position of disengagement is characterized in that the core portion is pivotally moveable relative to the stationary hub and at least one support.

Head restraint assemblies

A foldable head restraint apparatus for connecting to a seat of a vehicle. The foldable head restraint apparatus includes a pair of brackets for being connected to a cover. A pivot tube rotatably supports the brackets along a first axis. At least one seat connector is connected to the pivot tube for non-rotatably supporting the pivot tube relative to the seat of the vehicle. A pair of latches are each non-rotatably disposed about the pivot tube adjacent to each of the brackets. A pair of cams are each rotatably connected to one of the brackets and are rotatable between a latched position and an unlatched position. At least one release connector is connected to each of the cams and is moveable for providing the rotating movement of the cams in response to movement of the release connector to provide synchronized rotation of the cams.

Dual latch high pivot head restraint

A head restraint assembly, comprising: a support for mounting the head restraint above a seat back; a bun assembly pivotally mounted on the head restraint support for movement in first and second directions relative to the head restraint support; and an adjustment mechanism disposed at least substantially within the bun assembly, the adjustment mechanism operative to permit (i) the selective pivotal movement of the bun assembly in either of the first and second directions and, as the bun assembly is moved in either of the first and second directions, (ii) the incremental positioning of the bun assembly in any of a plurality of predefined positions along a path of travel of the bun assembly in the first and second directions.

Head restraint assembly

A closing device that includes a latching member that when moved a given distance utilizes a gear to effect a mechanical advantage that results in an end of a biasing member being moved less than the given distance. The biasing member is used in moving a first drawer slide member to a closed position relative to a second drawer slide member, and use of the gear and the resulting mechanical advantage provide a smoother transition when the first drawer slide member is engaged or disengaged from the closing device.

Growing community of inventors

Grand Rapids, MI, United States of America

Michael J Boks